The actress won the female lead prize for My Week With Marilyn at the Independent Spirit AwardsÂ before last nightâs Oscars.

Williams said she was âa really good studentâ of Monroeâs by watching all the films: âIn a way, you had to remove the fact that she was an icon and put that out of your mind. Because it would be too daunting. Instead, try to think of her as an ordinary girl, which is what she wanted to be thought of as.â

However, it wasnât all work for Williams, who admitted: âYou let yourself be really bad for a while and you push through that period.â

The 31-year-old picked up her trophy in a super-short tuxedoÂ suit at Santa Monica beach in LA,Â looking a long way from being a âlonerâ in early, small-budget films.

âI wore my own clothes back then, not very good. I cut my own hair â also not very good,â Williams said.